Diving boards have long been used to provide lift for a diver jumping into a swimming pool. Conventional diving boards typically comprise a shell, such as an acrylic shell, that is wrapped around a core made of any one of a variety of suitable materials. For example, diving boards used in diving competitions may include aluminum or aluminum alloy cores, while other diving boards, such as those used for residential purposes, may include fiberglass reinforced cores or other suitable cores. In many diving boards, the upper surface typically includes a non-slip tread that provides grip and suitable traction for a diver walking across the board before diving off the end. In conventional diving boards, the non-slip tread is typically a sand tread including a sandpaper material that is adhered or otherwise affixed to portions of the upper surface of the diving board shell.
The present inventors have determined that it would be desirable to have a diving board with a tread surface having improved non-slip characteristics and sufficient flexibility to withstand extended use. Additional aspects and advantages of such a diving board will be apparent from the following detailed description of example embodiments, which proceed with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Understanding that the drawings depict only certain embodiments and are not, therefore, to be considered limiting in nature, these embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with reference to the drawings.